1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to surface polishes of the type used for polishing metal wood, painted surfaces and other surfaces, and more particularly to a stable viscous gelled surface polish composition that contains abrasives and other additives in a gel base which prevents separation of the abrasives and additives and does not require shaking or mixing prior to use.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Polishes for metal, wood, and other surfaces have long been known. The aqueous polishes are extremely effective and handy for use after shaking or mixing. However, they are difficult to use because their abrasive polishing additives commonly settle out of their liquid carriers in the storage containers. Because these products must use clays, starches, polysaccharides and other materials for the sole purpose of assisting in holding the desired abrasives in suspension although these additives serve no polishing purpose and commonly interfere with the polishing efficiency of the end product. Additionally the dried additives often accumulate on the insides of the storage container usually resulting in wastage of much of the contents after only partial use.
Making additives in the polish uniformly available when polishing is vital for consistent results. The consumer also desires to utilize the entire contents of the bottle, which cannot be done when a significant portion of the material adheres to the inside walls of the container and are unreachable in small-mouthed vessels. Polishes are usually sold in small-mouthed bottles to facilitate shaking as a method to insure thorough mixing. Small-mouthed containers will limit the amount of polish that can be efficiently removed without spillage and often limiting obtaining desired quantities for use.
The present invention overcomes the current problems associated with conventional polishes of the prior art. The present stable viscous gelled surface polish composition contains abrasives and other additives in a homogeneous gel base having a viscosity and consistency of a custard or jelly which prevents separation of the abrasives and additives and does not require shaking or mixing prior to use. Additionally, the gel base eliminates the need for additives that serve no purpose other than to attempt to keep the additives in suspension. The abrasive or polishing content may be individual abrasives or combinations of such materials as silicon dioxide, aluminum dioxide, cerium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, manganese dioxide, diamond or iron based materials as well as many others. Additionally other suitable additives such as antioxidants, waxes, and oils may be used in the composition. The smooth homogeneous stable gel is also resistant to drying and the formation of a surface xe2x80x9cskinxe2x80x9d.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide homogenous non-settling polishes for surface polishing of metals, and other surfaces that do not have to be shaken or otherwise mixed prior to use.
It is another object of this invention to provide a stable viscous gelled surface polish that can be packaged it large-mouthed containers thereby facilitating application of the desired amount of polish to the cloth or buffing material.
Another object of this invention is to provide a stable viscous gelled surface polish that can be packaged it large-mouthed containers thereby allowing complete use of the container""s contents which are easily reached.
Another object of this invention is to provide a stable viscous gelled surface polish that is resistant to drying thereby increasing ease of use.
Another object of this invention is to provide a stable viscous gelled surface polish that allows manufacturers and users a wider range of abrasives and additives than have been previously available because of the inability to evenly distribute and stabilize these materials in powders and liquids.
Another object of this invention is to provide a stable viscous gelled surface polish that allows the use of even heavy abrasives and additives that need not necessarily be finely ground and therefore can be used in more course form than previous products because the stable gel prevents their settling.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a stable viscous gelled surface polish that allows storage and shipping of the gelled polishes in large volume containers because they do not have to be shaken, stirred, agitated, or otherwise mixed prior to use.
A further object of this invention is to provide a stable viscous gelled surface polish that allows the use of partial packages of gelled polishes with the knowledge that they will be consistent in quality and homogeneous in makeup no matter how much of the product was previously used.
A still further object of this invention to provide a stable viscous gelled surface polish that allows use of partial packages of gelled polishes with the knowledge that the remaining material will not readily dry so that the balance of the product will remain usable even when small quantities are present.
The above noted objects and other objects of the invention are accomplished by a smooth stable viscous gelled surface polish composition comprising a mixture of water, a gelling agent, a chelating agent, abrasives, pigments, and other property enhancing additives evenly dispersed into the mixture, and an alkaline electrolyte viscosity increasing agent that raises the pH of the mixture and forms a smooth homogeneous stable polish with a viscosity and consistency of a custard or jelly.